Exhaust gases which provide the propulsion force for a propulsion system generally contain water molecules in substantial amounts. The propulsion gases may also contain particulate matter. The transmission of signals and the reception of signals by a propulsion vehicle can be greatly effected by the presence of the water molecule or particulate matter in the gases.
This invention is concerned with the problem caused by the presence of water molecules in exhaust gases from propulsion systems. The problem involves infrared radiance bands and radiance intensity of the water molecule which will seriously degrade the on-board detector's performance of certain advanced terminal interceptors.
In particular, water is recognized as being a highly undesirable constitutent insofar as its adverse effects on the long-wave infrared sensor performance is concerned. Experience has demonstrated that if the exhaust products contain more than 25% water, it would completely mask out the signal from the sensor. The masking out of the signal is very prevalent for a non-aluminized propellant of the difluoroamino type which contains 26% water in their exhaust products and of the smokeless composite propellants which contain about 37% water in their exhaust products.
An object of this invention is to provide means for the removal of water molecules from the exhaust gases of the main rocket motor and from reaction control devices of propulsion systems which employ on-board detectors whose performance is seriously degraded from the infrared bands and radiance intensity of the water molecule.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means which can serve as a propellant constituent which is reactive with the water molecule and which also acts to provide propulsion gases having high nitrogenous content and lower flame temperature.